Chinelo Obogo, Lagos
The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has warned the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) not to play politics with the crises the state is passing through following the EndSARS protests.
Reacting to the statement by PDP criticising the comment by the House of Representatives speaker, Femi Gbajagbiamila that the state needs one trillion naira to recover economically, APC’s publicity secretary, Seye Oladejo, said it is wrong for the PDP to politicise the situation in the state.
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He said: “Our attention has been drawn to the uninformed and blind challenge of the opposition PDP in Lagos State of the estimated one trillion to restore the destruction of public properties, utilities and investments unleashed on Lagos State during the recent mayhem.
“For starters, this remains an inappropriate and insensitive time to play idle politics with an incident that has thrown the entire state into mourning as a result of avoidable loss of lives and properties.
“We, as a responsible and responsive party , commiserate with the good people and government of our state. While not preempting the findings of the commission of enquiry already set up, we condemn all acts of omission or commission that might have directly or indirectly contributed to this national tragedy.
“We acknowledge the characteristic swift and decisive response of Governor Babajide Sanwo-olu who continues to stand firm in the face of tremendous pressure to uphold his oath of office to protect the lives and property of all Lagosians. The visits to the injured victims in various hospitals and the state wide tour to pacify the citizenry and access the extent of damage were, without any doubt, moves in the right direction.
“The statewide tour enabled the state government to have an inventory of the monumental destruction which set our state back by decades. The long list of destroyed public and private property in Lagos state , to list a few, include Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Government secretariat; Palace of the Oba of Lagos; Lagos High Court, Igbosere; Oyingbo BRT terminus; Ojodu Berger BRT terminus; Vehicle Inspection Office, Ojodu Berger; Lagos State Public Works Corporation, Ojodu Berger; Lagos City Hall and Circle Mall, Lekki; numerous luxury shops in Surulere, The Nation Newspaper, TVC and Shoprite Lekki.
“The transport sector lost 27 of the BRT vehicles that cost $200,000 each, while 57 of them cost $100,000 each, all totalling about N3.9 billion.
“According to the police, the 25 stations burnt in Lagos were Orile, Amukoko, Layeni, Ilasamaja, Ikotun, Ajah, Igando, Elemoro, Makinde, Onipanu, Ebute Ero, Pen-Cinema, Isokoko, Alade, Cele, Igbo Elerin, Shibiri, Gbagada, Onilekere, Makoko, Daleko, Asahun, Makinyo, Amuwo-Odofin, Anti-Kidnapping, Surulere. Other police stations that were vandalised but not burnt were Ojo, Ojodu, Mowo, PPL and Morogbo.
“This is apart from personal losses incurred by innocent members of the public. We opine that the estimate could at the end of the day be found to be hasty and conservative with a careful consideration of the present cost of reconstruction, revamping and regeneration of these public utilities. We find it distasteful that the opposition PDP would rather mindlessly condemn and contest a mere estimate to restore our state as soon as possible. PDP in Lagos state, after two decades in opposition, ought to have developed a template for responsible opposition. It’s also germane to gauge the mood of the people before mocking the dead and the wanton losses. Our people deserve emphathy and understanding from all and sundry. We wish to call on the Federal Government of Nigeria to come to the aid of Lagos state at a trying time like this to successfully re-build and restore our dear state in a record time.
“We also want to join our voice to the call by other well-meaning Nigerians on the need for state police to forestall such incidents in future. We wish to urge all Lagosians to rally round our government, embrace unconditional peace and commence the process of far reaching healing.”